Changing Directories and Listing their Contents

Syntax#

• echo %cd% - displays the current path of the directory

• cd “C:\path\to\some\directory” -changes the path of the directory

• cd “%variable_containing_directory_path%” - also changes the path of the directory

• cd /d E: - change to E: drive from a different drive

• cd/ - changes directory back to current drive

• echo %__CD__% - displays the current path of the directory with trailing backslash (undocumented)

• echo %=C:% - The current directory of the C: drive (undocumented)

• echo %=D:% - The current directory of the D: drive if drive D: has been accessed in the current CMD session (undocumented)

Remarks#

Why is it important and what are they uses and advantages:

• to open file or application in a directory using batch
• to create andwrite and read files in a directory using batch
• to know and list out all folders
• to know where your batch file is running

To display the current directory

Format and Usage:

 echo %cd%

%cd% is a system variable that contains the current directory path

To change the current directory (without changing drives)

Format:

cd "<path>"

Example:

 cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office"

cd is an abbreviation for chdir and the two commands behave in the exact same way. For the sake of consistency, cd will be used throughout this topic.

To navigate to the directory one level above the current directory, specify the system directory ...

cd ..

To navigate to a directory that is inside of the current directory, simply cd to the folder name without typing the full path (wrapping the directory name in quotes if it contains spaces).

For example, to enter C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office while in the C:\Program Files (x86) directory, the following syntax may be used:

cd "Microsoft Office"

or

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office"

Navigating to a directory on a different drive

cd by itself will not allow a user to move between drives. To move to a different drive, the /d option must be specified.

e.g. Moving from C:\Users\jdoe\Desktop to D:\Office Work

cd /d "D:\Office Work"

How to show all folders and in files in a directory

Usage to list all folders and files in the current directory: dir

A target directory can also be specified: dir C:\TargetPath

When specifying a path with spaces, it must be surrounded by quotes: dir "C:\Path With Spaces"

Changing drive without CD /D

Pushd "D:\Foo"
Dir
Popd

Pushd will change the directory to the directory following (in this case D:\Foo. Popd returns back to the original directory.

To change the current directory to the root of the current drive

Format:

cd/

cd/ is set to change the current directory back to the root of the current drive